Jelica Vazzaz

Jelica Helena Zoe Vazzaz (5 August 1914 – 15 June 2007) was a Slovenian artistic gymnast who competed for Yugoslavia. She was a part of the silver medal-winning Yugoslav team at the 2nd-ever World Championships at which a women's competition was included. A survivor of World War II concentration camps and political persecution, Vazzaz was a teacher of both academics and gymnastics, the Yugoslav national team coach for over two decades, a top-level international judge, a pioneer of rhythmic gymnastics, a professor, an author of many monographs and journal articles, and an overall promoter of physical well-being. She has been referred to as the most important woman of Slovenian physical culture.

Early life Jelica Vazzaz was born on 5 August 1914 in Gorizia, Austria-Hungary (now Italy). She was the third of four children born to father Ludovik (born near Slovenska Bistrica) and mother Terezija (née Kololaj). Ludovik was sent to school in Vienna because of his scholastic aptitude, and was the author of a geography textbook. One of the names he gave Jelica was "Helena" in memory of a daughter of the family he lived with in Vienna, the other was "Zoe", named after a family friend. Her mother Terezija came from Pula, Croatia. She married Ludovik and accompanied him to Vienna for his studies. from 1948 to 1979. Among the largest competitions she judged were the 1948 London Olympics, 1952 Helsinki Olympics, 1954 Rome Worlds, and the 1974 Varna Worlds. She also judged rhythmic gymnastics, becoming the first person from her country to be FIG-certified to do so.

Legacy In her obituary, Slovenian newspaper Delo called Vazzaz the most important woman of physical culture in Slovenia and a Slovenian sports legend.

Honors and awards The following are some of the honors and awards that were bestowed upon Vazzaz during her lifetime: State decoration: Order of Merit for the People III. degrees – Presidium of the National Assembly of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia – Belgrade (1951) Bloudek Award for professional work – Association for Physical Culture of Slovenia (the first woman honored) (1965) Golden Plaque – Ljubljana City of Heroes – City Assembly of Ljubljana (1977) National decoration: Order of The Red Flag for Special Merits and Achievements in Socialist State Building - SFR Yugoslavia, President of the Republic (1979) Marjan Rožanec Lifetime Achievement Award in the field of sports for amateur workers – City Assembly of Ljubljana (1992) ŠD Narodni dom Ljubljana – Acknowledgment: Genera of Gymnasts of the Sports Association ND, Ljubljana (1996) Lifetime Achievement Award as an Amateur Worker – Sports Association Ljubljana (2000) Honorary gold medallion – Faculty of Sports in Ljubljana – 40th anniversary higher education (2001)

Additionally, in 2006, she was awarded with the Honorary Charter of Sports Associations, the highest award of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia.